The Devil Made Me Do It!

The devil made me do it!

This is the oldest excuse in history, going way back to when Eve blamed the devil for her own bad choice. Satan’s influence certainly can be blamed for much of the evil in this world, but we, as believers, don’t have to use that excuse. We are equipped and empowered with the armor of God, and when we train ourselves to use it properly, we can stand against anything the devil throws our way. The devil will try to fool us into thinking that he has great power. But we must remember that he does not. Only God is omnipotent! And when we utilize the power that we have in Christ and keep our sword sharpened, we have a fighting chance to win the everyday battles we face.

Our struggles are not against flesh and blood, and neither are our weapons a part of this world. –2 Corinthians 10:4

We have been given the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit to fight with, but it’s up to us to use them.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. –Hebrews 11:1

Faith is one of our greatest gifts, and it is the means by which we come into a right relationship with God, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). Having faith is saying ‘I believe in the saving Power and Hope of Christ and I will trust God and His promise’. The shield of faith protects you from getting burned by the flaming arrows of deceit, fear and doubt by firmly believing that what God has to offer is more desirable than the whispers of the devil.

It Begins at the cross

God’s work in us began on the cross, was acknowledged when we first believed, and will continue until the day our bodies are completely restored. We can be confident in our salvation and that nothing we do will ever separate us from His love. Our helmet is our assurance that once we are saved, we are saved. Don’t ever let the devil make you doubt that because you messed up, you are eternally separated from Christ! That is simply untrue. He continues to mold us, shape us, forgive us and encourage us even when we fail. “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Jesus Christ returns.” (Philippians 1:6).

For the Word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than a double-edged sword. –Hebrews 4:12

The Word of God is the sword of the Spirit, and our most powerful weapon, in pushing back the devil as he attempts to overtake us. But as with any weapon, if we aren’t familiar with it, and don’t properly maintain it, we can’t effectively use it. Meditation, memorization and deliberate reflection of The Bible will fill our minds and our hearts with God’s Truth. His Word renews us, challenges us, strengthens us, restores us and guides us into victory when we are consumed with the battles of this world.

So be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around looking for someone to devour. Resist him standing firm in your faith. –1 Peter 5:8

When you put on your armor of God, you say NO to the face of the devil. You are telling the enemy that he must penetrate the power of God to get to your heart and your mind. You will resist his temptations and not fall apart, because the power that Christ has in us is greater than the power that the enemy has in the world. So instead of making excuses, take up your armor and rise victorious, being assured that you don’t have to fight the battle alone.